Crossing Over
by E. Griffin
Summary: What would you be willing to give up if your Neopet dropped into your living room one day, with an offer to leave your world behind.... Update: ReUploaded
1. To Hear

Crossing Over 

**Maggie Griffin**

**Summary:** The first in the saga. After playing and battling in the Neopet web site for

over a year, Magnolia 'Maggie' Griffin is given a chance to try out the real Neopia...

**IMPORTANT**: This fanfic has been slightly re-worked and re-submmitted.  Expect the

next chapters soon!!!

**************

**CHAPTER 1: TO HEAR**

Maggie sat at the computer screen, having just won a one on one battle with the Ticki

Tacki man for the very first time since she had begun playing Neopets more than a year

ago.

"HAH, victory is finally mine, you...,"

The sharp honk of her mother's 1996 red van startled her out of her victorious haze, as she

darted off her chair, switching the computer off rather hastily in the back. Pulling her

bedroom door closed behind her, she took the staircase down two at a time, missing the

last step, which sent her sprawling rather painfully the last little way.

"Ow....pain bad!" she muttered, rubbing her sore leg.

Despite that, Maggie she composed herself and grabbed her school bag and black leather

jacket. Leaning down, she zipped up her nearly knee-high black leather heeled boots. As

she opened the front door, she took a last quick look at herself in the hall mirror, making

sure she looked alright before leaving. As always, the same self-satisfied face stared back

at her. Long chestnut-coloured hair that fell in curls down her back, and golden- brown

eyes which she got from her grandfather no doubt. Full lips were lipsticked a dark brown,

and as usual set in a serious, somewhat moody droop.

Satisfied, she ran out of her house and headed for the van, knowing her mother would be

throwing fits inside.

"Maggie, I told you to be ready when I came to pick you up! You know I have to drop off

your father at work, and then you sleep in and I have to drive you to school too!" Her

mother started off the usual routine morning ritual the moment Maggie set foot in the van,

and as always, Maggie spaced out while listening to the radio blaring country songs.

So it was, every morning she would arrive at the school via her mother's lecture mobile,

and Maggie would sit during her first spare period, continuing her Neopet trek in the

school library.

She was just about to score a rainbow negg in Meerca chase when the PA system sounded

on with her name.

"MAGGIE GRIFFIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME DOWN TO STUDENT SERVICES, MAGGIE GRIFFIN!"

With that, her Meerca went face-first into the red wall, and her score stayed at a measly

120. Not bothering to send the score, she clicked off the site and left the computer

running her account. With a nod to the librarian, she headed off to the student services (a

formally known little room right beside the office itself).

When she arrived there, she expected her mother to be standing with something she had

forgot, but was instead met with a man she had never seen before.

"Magnolia Griffin?" the man asked. His voice was British, deep and he had a professional

aura about him.

The strange man was dressed in a deep black suit, and had hair a cross between brown

and black that was cut short neatly around his ears and eyes. He looked like some sort of

government official, and for a moment, Maggie got the impression he was a cop.

"Yeah, I'm Maggie!"

The man extended his hand, and Maggie shook it politely.

"My name is Mr. Madison Crowley! Would it be possible to have a more private

conversation?" he asked, slightly annoyed at the students that passed them now and again.

Now Maggie was sure that whoever he was, he meant some sort of official business.

"Yeah sure," she led him down a hallway that led up to the music hall, which was usually

deserted at that early time of day.

"Well?" she asked, once the man had made sure nobody was listening. Frankly, the entire

conversation so far had her a bit uneasy.

"Ms. Griffin, are you the same Maggie that goes under the alias 'Dead_Doll00' on the

Neopet web site?"

Maggie felt her defenses go up immediately, and put up her hands in a show of self-

defense.

"Whoa, wait! Whatever it is, I didn't know we weren't allowed to play here! As a matter

of fact, I know plenty of other students that sign on just as regularly as I do, I can even go

get them for you right....,"

"So you are Dead_Doll00!" He cut her off sharply, waving a hand in dismissal to her

rambling, "You've been playing for more then one year, competed in over 60 battles, and

have a Halloween Lupe over the level 20?"

Maggie raised an eyebrow in confusion, calming a bit.

"Uh...yeah! Why?"

Mr. Crowley paused, seeming to be collecting his thoughts for what he was about to tell

her.

"Ms. Griffin....Maggie, if I may?" he continued on when she nodded, "I represent

a...secret organization if you will! One dedicated to finding equally dedicated Neopia

gamers such as yourself!"

"So...is it some sort of contest or something? Neopets, I mean!" Maggie asked, her

interest peaked.

"Well, in a manner of speaking I supposed it is. However, I can assure you that the prize

is unlike anything you could have ever imagined!"

"Are we saying money?"

"Well....not exactly! More like the opportunity to live your life from a completely new

perspective," he spoke, seeming to be edging around the actual answer.

"What are you talking about?"

He paused again, and took off the spectacles he wore on his face, wiping them for a

moment before answering.

"I'm talking about a real Neopia, a chance to live the character you have played. To

experience everything in the real world and under a new life! I'm talking about living

Neopets!"

Maggie blinked, and firmly turned on her heels and walked away.

**********

_Next, Maggie is shocked to discover Madison waiting for her at her house, determined to_

_prove to her the truth of his words...._


	2. To See

**CROSSING OVER****  
  
CHAPTER 2: TO SEE**  
  
**********  
  
Although surprised that he had not followed, Maggie was still somewhat uneasy about her conversation with the man known as Madison Crowley. Safe to say, the words 'prostitution,  ring of kidnapped children' had crept into her mind more then once, much to her chagrin.  
  
Of course, that didn't necessarily mean the man was some sort of crazed kidnapper.  
  
Crazed, maybe....but maybe not in a dangerous way.  
  
Other then that, he was definitely off his Neopian rocker. Someone who had hit Punchbag Bob once too many and finally snapped. Clearly taking what was a harmless (albeit addictive) internet game and turning into some sort of deranged little fantasy.  
  
So for the rest of the school day, Maggie had watched with a weary eye, making sure just in case the man was lurking behind some dark corner waiting to pounce on her. Yet nothing happened, and by the end of that day, she had dismissed it as a harmless incident with a cracker, or maybe even some sort of prank.  
  
As she boarded her school bus home, she went over the things she had to do for the remainder of the short day. Complete her homework, compete in the usual monthly battledome championship, watch Drew Carrey (while drooling over Craig Ferguson), and sleep.  
  
Not necessarily in that order.  
  
When she got home, the house was silent. Her mother had already left to pick up her sister at the elementary school, a rough five minute drive. Extend the entire event to half an hour with her sister's enthusiasm to annoy the hell out of her mother.  
  
So she would have the house to herself for a while.  
  
"Please don't be alarmed Maggie!"  
  
The familiar voice sent Maggie whirling around to face the man behind her, a movement which affected her balance temporarily and sent her stumbling against the door. Her hand immediately went to the doorknob, with every intention of bolting out of her house, to her neighbors, and phoning the police from there.  
  
"Please, just hear me out for a moment, I don't mean you any harm!" The man raised his hands as a sign of peace, and Maggie paused momentarily.  
  
"You got one minute before I find something blunt to knock you out with!" She said through gritted teeth, keeping a safe eye on him from a distance.  
  
"Very well, but can we perhaps sit down while I explain?"  
  
Maggie nodded, and pointed to the living room. He took the cue and went first, sitting down on a large couch against the wall. Maggie sat down on the same couch, safely on the other end.  
  
"Well?"  
  
The man nodded, and reached into his pocket, making Maggie tense momentarily before he pulled out a small white business card.  
  
Reaching for it, she read his name, along with the words 'OFFICIAL BATTLEDOME TRAINER' in the center. She re-read it, then handed it back to him sporting a familiar skeptic look.  
  
"That doesn't prove much, it's just a card! I could make the same thing using my WordPerfect program and a pair of scissors!" Maggie scoffed.  
  
"Ms. Griffin, as I said before and the offer still stands! You are being given a very rare opportunity, one that is given only to the most dedicated of Neopian player, and not very often either! Now if you give me a chance, I can prove to you that what I say is true!"  
  
Maggie considered what he had said, rolling it around her mind and dissecting it like a cheap science project. The idea that the actual Neopia was real was of course ridiculous. Nothing like that could ever exist.  
  
But how do you know? It could, and he says he has some sort of proof! Her mind rationalized, weighting her options.  
  
"Alright look, what sort of proof are we talking about here?" She asked.  
  
Mr. Crowley smiled, and reached into his pocket again. This time however, instead of a cheap business card, he brought out a palm-sized black box. It was metallic, with a dark purple border. It was roughly rectangular shaped, and had various dark purple buttons on the top.  
  
Pointing it to the center of the room, he pushed some random buttons, and Maggie yelped as she watched a thin stream of extremely bright light issue forth from the machine, and into the room.  
  
There in the center, once her eyes had adjusted, was a sight unlike anything Maggie had ever seen.  
  
"Fashir?"  
  
It was her own Neopet, in all his werewolf glory. Completely unlike anything she had ever imagined at that. He stood a good two feet above her own 5'5 while upright, but hunched down on his forepaws to be with her face- to-face. His fur was a dark brown colour and slightly shaggy and long. He wore a pair of tattered blue pants, cut off in messy cuts just under the hips. His paws ended in long, dangerous-looking claws, and Maggie noticed the rows of incisors that lined the inside of his mouth as he watched her with a dark gaze.  
  
"It's good to finally meet you in the flesh!" his voice startled her so badly, she took a few steps backwards, falling back onto the couch as she did so. It was deep, and aged, just as she had predicted it would have been in real life. As it apparently truly was.  
  
"God..oh my god.."  
  
The gigantic Lupe began to slowly pace around the living room, his large claws leaving scar marks in the green carpet. Then, he slowly made his way towards her.  
  
Maggie meanwhile, had scooted onto the couch as high up as she could, staring at the wolf-creature in fear.  
  
"Don't be frightened Maggie...you are his owner after all! He is completely loyal to you," she heard Mr. Crowley exclaim through the haze of confusion that had become the last five minutes.  
  
For a moment, Maggie tried to convince herself the large furry creature in front of her was some sort of illusion, but when she felt his head nuzzle her arm, she realized that everything this strange man had been telling her up until now was the truth.  
  
"He's real...," she whimpered, daring to slowly raise her hand and let it rest gently on the Lupe's large furry head.  
  
"Yes I am, and so is Neopia! Come with us, and you'll see for yourself," Fashir00 spoke once more, and Maggie was suddenly seized with a whole new feeling. One of adventure, of anticipation, and of leaving behind a life and starting a completely new one all on her own.  
  
"So you are convinced now?" Mr. Crowley asked.  
  
Maggie nodded, not taking her eyes off of her Neopet.  
  
"So you will agree to the offer?"  
  
Another moment went by, but when it was over, Maggie found herself nodding once more. Knowing somehow, that what she had agreed to do would affect her for the rest of her life.  
  
Indeed, it would be her life.  
  
"Excellent! Now I must explain a few things to you! Firstly, in coming with us, you and you alone are permitted. No friends, no family. Just you! You may pack a small suitcase of your belongings to take with you. Have no fear however, you do have a bank account ready in Neopia central, and a sizeable amount of cash to help you start anew. The first thing I can help you with when we arrive is setting you up in your Neohome!" Mr. Crowley exclaimed casually.  
  
"Wait.you mean I'll have my own house?" Maggie asked, astounded.  
  
"Well of course you will," Mr. Crowley replied. "We don't let out owners live on the streets you know. You will live in the same location you selected previously, and move in with Fashie00 as well as any other pets you may decide to add later! Of course, four pets per owner is our limit."  
  
"Of course.," Maggie trailed off, nodding dumbly.  
  
"Anyway, I'll give you the grand tour of Neopia when we actually get there!"  
  
"When exactly.do you expect me to be ready to leave?"  
  
Once more, Mr. Crowley wiped his spectacles, and looked back at her.  
  
"Preferably before your parents arrive home!"  
  
"Wait. you mean I can't even say goodbye to my parents?" There was a hint of sadness in her voice.  
  
"I'm afraid not! No one must know where you are going! I cannot stress this enough! Neopia is a hidden, safe place. If the real world were to find out about it, it would be overrun and no doubt destroyed. You must leave in absolute secrecy, leave no trace behind!" Mr. Crowley spoke, his eyes incredibly serious as he talked. "I know it seems harsh, but Neopia's preservation depends on the secrecy of its citizens!"  
  
Maggie nodded in understanding, and despite the idea that she would have to leave without any explanation it was logical. Still, it pained her to know she would never see her family again.  
  
"Well, does that mean I can never ever come back? Like I have to stay there forever once I get there?"  
  
"Not necessarily," Mr. Crowley shook his head. "When you get there, you may return home again if you do not like it after any period of time. However, once you return to the real world, you will never be able to gain access to Neopia again!"  
  
"Like a two way ticket," Maggie muttered.  
  
"''Fraid so!"  
  
"Alright, so what do I do once I'm done packing?" She asked.  
  
"Here!" Mr. Crowley handed her the same black rectangular box, and motioned to an assortment of the purple buttons. "This is the Dark Faerie's transmit box! She donated it at the very beginning for us to be able to bring potential owners back with us! When you are done and ready to go, simply push the top three buttons at the same time, and you will be on your way! Fashir will stay here and accompany you when you arrive! I will be waiting at the National Neopian Bank!" With that, he turned and another doorway of light appeared in front of him.  
  
"Wait! How will I find the bank?" Maggie asked quickly.  
  
"Don't worry, your pet will help you!" Mr. Crowley answered as he stepped through, and vanished.  
  
Maggie was left alone in her house, with a seven-some foot high Lupe standing there with her. She felt somewhat akward, but the Lupe's surly gaze softened slightly as he turned his massive head to look at her.  
  
"Are you alright Kitty?" He asked, his brow furrowing in concern at her confused gaze.  
  
"Uh. yeah! I just…didn't expect you to be so huge! Why did you call me Kitty?" She asked.  
  
"That will be your new name once you arrive in Neopia! Well respectfully speaking, your new full name will be Dead_Doll00, but most citizens prefer to use their Neo-names! All new owners change their names to the user hangers they chose when they signed up! As for me being bigger then my internet counterpart, you'll see that a lot of things will be different when you arrive. We can't very well be as big as we truly are on your monitors. we wouldn't fit!" He smiled thinly, and motioned to the staircase with his head. "You better start getting ready, your parents are on their way home!"  
  
Maggie glanced at the clock, and was shocked to discover she had roughly five minutes to pack everything she wanted before her parents arrived home. Despite her sadness, she didn't want to be caught. It may have seemed selfish of her, but she wanted to leave. Maggie knew that if her parents found out, they would never let her go, and would no doubt call the police and have Fashir killed or worst. But that was natural in a grim sort of way. Humans feared what they didn't understand.  
  
They would never understand anything that had just happened.  
  
So she darted up the stairs, and made short work of grabbing a black and purple duffel bag from her closet. She began to throw various clothing inside, along with a photo album, some cash (even though Fashir assured her she didn't need it since NeoPoints were used in Neopia) and random other items like hair brushes, gels, and the like.  
  
"Damn it, my jacket is downstairs!"  
  
Maggie ran to the window, and let out a yelp when she saw the familiar red van pull into the driveway. Her father, mother, and sister began to pile out.  
_  
"FASHIR! GRAB MY JACKET OFF THE COUCH!"_ No sooner had the words left her lips as the Lupe pounced down the wooden stairwell, crushing a small part of it underneath his massive weight. He grabbed the black leather jacket gently in his teeth and was up the stairs again just as the front door swung open.  
  
"Maggie, we're home!" Her mother's voice was clear from downstairs as Maggie grabbed the coat from Fashir, and slung the bag over her shoulder.  
  
"HURRY, They must not see!" Marius exclaimed, pushing her bedroom door shut with such force the sound reverberated loudly around the house.  
  
"My God, what happened to the stairs..._MAGGIE, ARE YOU OKAY? MAGGIE?"_  
  
Maggie heard her father's voice this time, and footsteps coming up the broken stairs to her room.  
  
"NOW!" Fashir yelled as she grabbed the box off her table, positioning her fingers over the three buttons.  
  
There was a momentary hesitation, and at 17 years old, Maggie wondered if she would ever see anyone she knew from this world again.  
  
"PUSH THE BUTTONS!" Fashir roared as the doorknob to her room began to turn. With that, Maggie's hand came down on the button, and a bright light enveloped both her and Fashir. It blinded Maggie, who felt herself steadied as she held onto her Lupe. There was complete silence, and in the next instant as the door opened, they had vanished into thin air.  
  
With the door opening, her parents rushed into the room, finding it in a mild disarray. They had seen the bright light from beneath the door, and had heard the yell of a deep male voice. But as they looked about the empty room, they found no one.  
  
"Maggie..," her mother exclaimed hopelessly, turning to look around once more. "Where…what happened?"  
  
Yet no one was able to answer that.  
  
**************  
  
_Next, Maggie arrives in Neopia with Fashir, and tries to settle into a new life._


	3. To Know

**CROSSING OVER****  
  
CHAPTER 3: TO KNOW**  
  
**************  
  
The temporary blindness caused by the light did not wear off right away, so Maggie kept her eyes closed, concentrating instead on the feelings she was experiencing. A warm breeze, wafted with unfamiliar grassy smells graced the air, and she could hear voices in the distance.  
  
Upon finally opening her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the colour of the sun. A deep red, set high up in the sky. The same colour as that of the one that appeared only at sunset in her world. The sky above was a perfect baby blue, so stereotypical in its perfection that there was not a cloud in its midst. Looking down, she saw the grass, an equal fresh green.  
  
"You're lucky; you've arrived in mid-spring! Neopian weather is best then!" Fashir's voice startled Maggie out of her reverie, and she turned to look at the Lupe.  
  
"Where are we exactly?"  
  
"On the outskirts of Neopia Central," he replied. "Walk a few miles to the west and you'll come up to the Haunted Woods!"  
  
She looked towards where he inclined his head, and could see what looked like the tops of tall, black trees. They reached high up into the sky, and were bent in odd ways. Turning, she looked the opposite way. Across the field, to what looked to be about a ten-minute walk, were the first signs of society. Buildings and houses grouped together.  
  
"Come on!" Fashir beckoned, already heading in the direction of the buildings.  
  
After another short pause to look back at the treetops to the west, Maggie ran after him, catching up and keeping a steady pace.  
  
"So now what?" She asked.  
  
"Now, we go to the National Bank, and meet Madison there! He'll get you settled into your Neohome!" Fashir replied. "And in case your wondering, yes it's the same one you bought via the Internet!"  
  
Maggie nodded, for that was indeed what she had been thinking of. The idea thrilled her. Her Neohome had been pretty big. Two floors, with five rooms on the first, and four on the second. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room, a large kitchen, a small 'study' room filled with books and the like, and a reading room at the other end of the second floor. Solid oak, and furnished with the best.  
  
She had saved up for a pretty long time for it to get that good.  
  
Soon, they were walking down the main street, and Maggie walked a good portion of that with her mouth hanging open. The citizens of Neopia bustled along with their Neopets. Techos, Shoyrus, Cybunnies, a Chombie, a fire Krawk, and other Lupes. The air moved with Korbats and Buzzez, all heading in different directions.  
  
"Overwhelming, isn't it?" Fashir smiled thinly, seeing the amazed expression on her face.  
  
Maggie nodded slowly, and paused to look at a large cluster of people that were scrambling around a huge tree in the center of an intersection.  
  
"The Money Tree?" Maggie motioned to the scene.  
  
Fashir nodded, rolling his eyes as the people crowded around it practically stepped over themselves, trying to grab the Neopoint coin bags and random items that fell from the branches.  
  
Just beyond that, loomed a large grey building. The carved name above the door read: NATIONAL NEOPIAN BANK  
  
Pulling the door open at Fashir's prodding, Maggie stepped inside, accompanied after a tight squeeze with Marius.  
  
"I wish they would make that door bigger!" He growled, shaking his fur to relieve the tension of squeezing through the small door frame.  
  
"Or make you smaller!" Maggie grinned as they walked towards one of the bank attendants sitting behind a large grey counter.  
  
"Ha.ha.ha," Fashir muttered, butting her lightly with his head.  
  
Smiling, Maggie walked slowly over to the attendant, a small red Chomby.  
  
"May I help you?" he asked, turning his red head to them as they approached.  
  
"Uh yeah, I'm looking for Mr. Madison Crowley; he said he wanted to meet here. I'm sort of…new!" Maggie smiled a crooked grin; still slightly amazed at all she was seeing. She was talking to a CHOMBY...  
  
"Oh yes! You must be Ms. Dead_Doll00! Mr. Crowley is waiting for you in his office!" He motioned to a room in the back, and left them to their own devices.  
  
As they walked towards the office the Chomby had motioned to, Maggie leaned in to talk to Fashir.  
  
"Is that it then? Am I Dead_Doll00 or Kitty or whatever now?"  
  
"Yes, though I'll call you Kitty, since you put that in your name preferences! So you call me Fashir instead of Fashir00! Remember, this is your new name, Magnolia Griffin doesn't exist here!"  
  
Kitty, for that was who she was now, nodded.  
  
When they reached the office, Kitty rapped on the door, and moments later Mr. Crowley opened it and ushered them both in.  
  
"Good to see you made it alright Kitty! I have everything you need in these files!" He reached for the folder resting on his desk, and picking it up, handed it to Kitty.  
  
"What's all this?" she asked, feeling the heaviness of the package.  
  
"Legal little things. Papers on your house, insurance, ownership papers for Fashir, and a legal paper that will let you adopt or buy any additional pets or Petpets! As you know, our limits are four pets per owner, and one Petpet per pet!" Mr. Crowley droned, pulling random papers out of the folder in Kitty's hands as he talked. When he was done, he shoved the papers back in, and motioned for them to follow him.  
  
"You already have an account with us! At the present, it contains the last balance you had in it, which was I believe around 70,000np?" He watched Kitty nod, then continued on. "Good, and you also contain your own private security deposit box, to which the key is in the folder I've given you! Along with the keys to your Neohome!"  
  
They left the bank, took a while to get to the main transit system for Neopia. Hopping aboard, they soon arrived at the outskirts of the Lost Desert. From there, Maggie rode on Fashir's back while Madison walked alongside them. Soon, they arrived at Dune Street; a name that Kitty instantly recognized as the name of the street her house was situated on.  
  
Sure as rain, within two minutes they had arrived at house number 2347, and Kitty was looking up at it with a sort of wondrous deja vu.  
  
Fashir smiled, and headed up towards the front door.  
  
"Welcome home Kitty!"  
  
**********  
  
_Next, Kitty enjoys her new life, while her parents search for her in the real world._


	4. Moving In, Checking Out

**CROSSING OVER****  
  
CHAPTER 4**  
  
**************  
  
It had been nearly four hours since Maggie's parents had come home to find the stairway collapsed to shambles, claw marks over the carpets, and Maggie's room reduced to a mess. Their only clue being the shout of an elder male voice, a blinding light from beneath the crack of Maggie's bedroom door, and Maggie's own high pitched shriek.  
  
However, when they had entered the room, they had found nothing. In shambles, and empty. No traces remained, and it appeared as though their daughter had vanished into thin air.  
  
Of course, the first thing they had done was drive toward their town's only police station at more than the legal speed limit. The police themselves were of less then adequate help.  
  
"Sorry, but like I told you before ma'am. Your daughter must be missing for twenty-four hours before we can declare her officially missing! Besides, with all the other details you informed us with, it sounds more like she's just playing some sort of prank on you!" The officer droned, looking somewhat not thrilled at the prospect of having to locate what was probably another drug-stoked runaway teenager.  
  
"Thank you, thank you very much!" Mrs. Griffin made the sarcasm more than audible in her voice as both she and her husband stormed out of the station, now more worried then ever.  
  
"It'll be okay," Jake Griffin reassured his wife, who moments ago had looked like she had wanted to take a bite out of the cop's throat.  
  
"I don't care what they say Jake! Maggie wouldn't do something like this! She knows better. Something's happened to her, and a lot can happen in twenty-four hours. I can't wait that long, I just…," her voice died in her throat as she held back a sob, and took a deep breath.  
  
"Look, I have an idea," Mr. Griffin paused then took his cellular out of his jacket pocket. Dialing the numbers, he waited a moment for an operator to answer on the other end. "Yes, I'd like to hire a private investigator from your company! Yes. the best you have, money is no option."  
  
While Maggie's father placed the call, and the operator connected him to the office of Mark Laughton, Maggie herself was well and good, wandering around her new house with Marius in tow, far off in Neopia.  
  
"I still cannot believe this, it's too cool!" Maggie gushed, looking over her new room, which had been furnished in the best of Zen furniture. She remembered having blown roughly 25,000 NP on the entire setup, and was now happy she had.  
  
"Looks better than the flash version, doesn't it?" Fashir grinned, a rather uncomfortable smile that exposed his very sharp canines.  
  
Maggie nodded, easing away from Fashir's grin.  
  
"I have to thank you for that setup in my own room! All that luxurious furniture. you spoil me!" Fashir chuckled. Indeed, as they headed off to look at his own room, which was filled with a set of luxurious items (which may be added cost more then Kitty's own room), Kitty could see why Fashir liked it so much.  
  
"Well, spoiled though you may be, it hasn't affected your efforts in the battledome!" she commented, recalling the present score.  
  
"As long as we have more won than lost. I was worried for a while!"  
  
Kitty nodded, remembering the many battles she had fought in the familiar battledome. She had never really been one to wait, which had more often then not resulted in many-a-quick fights.  
  
"Speaking of, does this Neopia have a battledome?" Kitty asked, her interests drawn to the subject.  
  
"Are you kidding?" Fashir motioned her to follow him downstairs, and spoke as they descended back down. "First of all, battling is a major part of Neopia. It's a source of entertainment as well as a good build up for any pet! We have a different battledome in each section of Neopia!"  
  
"Like in the 'net version?"  
  
"Like in the 'net version!" Fashir nodded.  
  
They crossed the living room, heading to the far right of the house, and into another room. Inside were shelves upon shelves of weaponry. Magical attack and defence items, staffs, stacks of snowballs in see-through glass ice freezers, and armoury hanging on the walls.  
  
"Uh…wow!?" Kitty gasped as soon as she had gotten enough of the sight into her system.  
  
"Impressive, isn't it? You accumulated a lot of battle items over the course of your game playing. I like storing them here! Hopefully. we'll be using them soon?" he looked hopefully at her.  
  
Kitty nodded vigorously, and Fashie could practically see her drooling over the idea of a real battledome.  
  
"There's a few rules you do have to follow though! First, you can't start battling until your used to Neopia a bit more. Roughly for a month! You must allow be sure on staying here permanently. Second, you must be trained for how to help me battle in the battledome! You'll get a battledome trainer assigned to you for a short time, and he or she will show you the ropes!" Fashir stated, while Kitty walked around toying with the different weapons.  
  
She picked up one large yellow object, bouncing it around in her hands idly. Suddenly, it began to grow warm and blink red. Kitty held in still, staring down at it in wonder.  
  
"_NO, WATCH OUT_!" Fashir roared, pouncing forward and knocking both Kitty over, and sending the strange object flying across the room and into the hallway.  
  
In the next instant, a large explosion rocked the house, and smoke billowed into the room from the hallway.  
  
Kitty blinked, now pinned under Fashir, who's normally dark brown coat was covered in pieces of black wallpaper, which were fluttering through the air.  
  
"Wha-…wha-…," Kitty gasped, interrupting herself when a cough wracked her throat from the smoke.  
  
"Ummagine bomb. I knew we shouldn't have bought it!" Fashir sighed, then looked down at her. "Are you alright?"  
  
Kitty nodded soundlessly, afraid of breathing in any more smoke.  
  
"S...sorry," she stammered, still a bit shell-shocked by how close that bomb had been to exploding in her hands.  
  
"It's alright...that was my fault really, I need to re-familiarize you with how things look here in real life. I'm just glad you're not in pieces," he smiled reassuringly, licking her cheek to stop her from shaking.  
  
"Euuu...slimy!" she laughed, relieved from the initial shock.  
  
"Ha…wait until you try to pet a Grundo! Those damn little left-behinds from Sloth's days are truly pitiful!"  
  
"You mean, all that stuff with Dr. Sloth actually happened?" Kitty asked, amazed.  
  
"Oh yes!" Fashir replied. "All the major events you've seen appear on the Internet happened for real here!"  
  
Kitty shook her head, trying to digest everything that had just happened, and everything that was happening too quickly for her to stay in awe over one thing for too long.  
  
"Anyway, we should rest up tonight, and call for a repairman for the hall in the morning," Fashir winked, then nudged her with his somewhat massive head.  
  
"Then what do we do?" Kitty asked.  
  
"I take you to show you the major denizens of Neopia! Mainly the Esophagor, Snowager, the Faerie council, and Neopia's various markets! You need to meet and go to each place!"  
  
With that, the two retired to their separate rooms.  
  
As Kitty sat on her new Zen bed, she went over everything that had happened since that afternoon. It seemed like so much for a few mere hours. Of course, Neopia ran under a different time then the real world, something she would no doubt have to get accustomed to.  
  
The least of her wonders.  
  
**********  
  
_Next, Kitty is introduced to some of Neopia's finest, while her parents come upon a vital clue to her disappearance._


	5. Introducing...

**CROSSING OVER****  
  
CHAPTER 5: INTRODUCING.**  
**  
************  
  
Kitty woke early the next day. The sun was just coming up over the sandy Neopian horizon, and the house was completely silent.  
  
At least, completely if not for Fashir's rather guttural snores. Which coming from his throat, sounded as though he were growling at something.  
  
"And that from across the other end of the hall…" Kitty muttered, standing and stretching. Nevertheless, she went to the bathroom, and ran a quick shower. Getting dressed, she wore a red and black plaid skirt, with a white tank top. Taking a quick glance in the mirror, she tried desperately to sort out her wet curly dark hair, which at the moment looked like a growth mass sitting on her head.  
  
She left her room, and headed down to Fashir's room. After knocking twice and receiving no response but the same snoring, she let herself in.  
  
Fashir was spread out on the bed, stomach facing the ceiling. His head hung down over one side of the bed, and he was stretched out rather comfortably.  
  
At the moment, he looked like a murder victim.  
  
"Fashir…Fashir wake up!" Kitty shook him, barely able to stir the enormous Lupe. She moved over to his head, and winced as the one of the Lupe's massive paws came around, catching her around the waist and pulling her to him like a rag doll. As his grip tightened, Kitty felt just like a stuffed animal on the verge of being squeezed to death.  
  
With a sigh, Kitty reached down and managed to grab one of her socks. Tugging, she pulled it off, crumpled it into a ball, and daintily stuffed it into his mouth.  
  
"Grrff…GAA," Fashir's eyes snapped open, and he reared up, coughing up the sock. "Wh....what are y...you trying to kill me?" he hacked, trying to dislodge a piece of string that had now become lodged in his throat.  
  
"Well you wouldn't wake up...or shut up, for that matter," she muttered, smirking at his annoyed expression. "Come on…" She poked him playfully, then leaned over and hugged him, "...don't be cranky!"  
  
"Being cranky is a part of my complicated design!" Fashir stated, butting her with his head, though he allowed himself a small grin. "Your socks taste like that stuff they used to feed me at the pound!"  
  
"HEY!"  
  
He laughed, a low noise which sounded somewhat malevolent.  
  
"Despite that...I'm glad I ended up with you!" he said softly, remembering his last owner with a grim look.  
  
"You…had it bad, huh!"  
  
He nodded, then looked her straight in the eyes, his own big golden eyes filled with intensity of hatred.  
  
"Do you have any idea, how painful it was...he used me for Lupe fights! Illegal battles they outlawed in Neopia years ago. Fights to the death…fights with no rules, no boundaries. Fights where if you wouldn't fight, your opponent or owner would end up killing you," he trailed off as he finally noticed her shocked expression, and shook his head. "Never mind. Look, I have places to show you today right? So let's get to it!"  
  
After a moment of awkward silence, Kitty nodded slowly.  
  
"Y…yeah, you mentioned that!" Her voice wavered, but relapsed quickly back to her usual tone. "So let's get to it lazy ass, come on!"  
  
Fashir rolled his eyes, then yawned and stretched.  
  
"Come on...hurry up!" Kitty whined.  
  
Fashir grinned at her agitation, then mock-lay back on the bed, stretching some more to provoke her.  
  
With a sigh, Kitty sat down onto the floor in front of him, raised her legs, and promptly set them both at his back. With that, she pushed as hard as she could, sending him sprawling down onto the floor in a heap of fur.  
  
"HEY!"  
  
Laughing, she ran for the front door with Fashir in tow.  
  
"Very funny!" He huffed as they walked out together.  
  
"I thought so!" She laughed. "So where to first?"  
  
Fashir thought for a moment, then looked in every direction.  
  
"The closest places to the furthest! So our first place will be…the Neopian Pound! We need to pick up something!" Fashir spoke mysteriously.  
  
"What?" Kitty asked.  
  
Fashir grinned, and motioned for her to follow. He crouched down suddenly, with a sly look on his face. "Would you like a ride?"  
  
"You mean, ride on your back?" Kitty blinked.  
  
"Yes, I think I can carry you...unless you weigh more than you look!" he smirked.  
  
Kitty crossed her arms, but shrugged moments later, and found herself trying to climb up onto his back.  
  
"Come on, just grab hold of some fur and pull yourself up!" Fashir snapped impatiently.  
  
"Your so damn tall...crouch lower!" Kitty huffed, finally sitting down on the Lupe's back. "Now what?"  
  
"Now you hang on tight!" he replied in a tone that reminded Kitty of a spider that had just lured a fly.  
  
"Wha...AAAAARGH!?"  
  
He took off a second before she could complete the question, cutting her question to a shrill scream. He ran on all fours at super-human speed, his rough paws hitting the sand and bouncing off with little effort.  
  
"_SLOW DOWN YOU PSYCHOTIC JERK!"_ She screamed, making him speed up even more. "_SLOW DOWN OR I'LL VOMIT ON YOU_!"  
  
The moment those words left her lips, Fashir came to a startling halt, nearly throwing Kitty off his back but putting his head backwards to stop her ascension into the sky.  
  
She nothing short of pounced off his back, landing on her rear and looking rather worst for the wear. After a moment, she seemed to regain her composure and stood shakily.  
  
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again."  
  
Fashir grinned good-naturedly, but knowing that he was pushing his luck, nodded in submission to her rather murderous tone.  
  
She opened her mouth to say the first thing she could think off.  
  
"You f-,"  
  
"We're here!" He quickly interrupted her, gesturing to a small building right in front of her. A sign above it read: _THE NEOPIAN POUND_. "And as I recall, we have a pickup!"  
  
"Why? I don't have any other pet except you!" Kitty stated in a confused voice. "Unless..." She trailed off, a light of understanding lighting up in her eyes.  
  
"Come on!" Fashir beckoned, already entering the building through its large double doors.  
  
Kitty blinked, then followed tout-suite after him.  
  
The main room on the inside looked fairly comfortable. It was moderately lit by a fixture on the ceiling, and had a number of metal chairs lined up against one corner of the room. In front of those was a small oak table, covered in various magazines and a newspaper that a closer look read "The Neopian Times".  
  
A large counter stood at the furthest side, and a doorway at the side of it that led into what Kitty assumed was where they kept the cages with the different pets.  
  
There was nobody at the counter, so Kitty walked up to it and rang the small silver service bell. Getting no response, she looked back at Fashir, who motioned for her to ring again. Shrugging, she rang again and turned back to the counter.  
  
As she turned her head back to the counter, a hand came to rest roughly over hers, pulling the bell away.  
  
"Can I help you?" A yellow Techo stared at her with a more-than- distasteful look on his face. His hair hung around his head in full but silvery-white long strands, as though something had taken his age away prematurely.  
  
Gulping nervously, she took a step away from that look and the narrowed dark eyes. A sneer had began to form on the Techo's face, as he waited for Kitty to say something.

Kitty recognized him as she looked into his face, which was twisted into a glare.  There was no doubt about it, this had to be Dr_Death.  
  
"Well? Is there any particular reason you're here? What, are you here on a whim, or did you come to abandon that Lupe?" He looked at Fashir, who was suddenly glaring at him dangerously, his canines showing.  
  
"Don't talk to her like that!" Fashir growled in his lowest, more intimidating voice.  
  
Kitty started, sensing the bad vibe in the air. Quickly, she stepped forward and extended her hand respectfully.  
  
"You must be Dr_Death! I'm Dead_Doll00! I'm new here, and I'm here for.."  
  
"Oh yes…*that* delivery!" Dr_Death interrupted her, though his voice no longer contained the same spiteful tone. "Well, my colleague is unavailable at the moment, so allow me!" With that, he left and headed to the back room.  
  
Minutes later, he came back carrying a large carton box in his arms. Setting it down on the counter, he handed Kitty various sheets.  
  
"Standard pick-up of property fill-ins. Nothing you can't manage, I'm sure," he muttered when he saw her looking at the papers sceptically.  
  
As she filled the sheets in, Kitty listened with half an ear as Dr_Death walked around the counter and over to Fashir, who had calmed down considerably.  
  
"Are you comfortable with her? Because if you aren't, you know it will not be a problem to find you someone better! After what happened…," she heard Dr_Death speak in whisper to her Lupe, who responded immediately.  
  
"No! She's perfect. Show her some respect.  I know its difficult for you, but she's not as bad as all that!"  
  
She didn't hear Dr_Death's response, and completed the paperwork quickly. As he came back around the counter, she handed it to him meekly.  
  
"Very good, he's all yours!" Dr_Death reached inside the box, and pulled out a wriggling mass of midnight black fur. "Sepulchrave, I believe?"  
  
Kitty nodded, taking the yipping-yapping creature into her arms. An Anubis, an adaptable Petpet to where they would now be living.  
  
"A very...loving Petpet!" Dr_Death muttered, edging away from the hyperactive ball of fur, which was calming considerably now that it was out of the box.  
  
"Why couldn't you get me something slow, fat, and lazy? Like a Warf!" Fashir muttered, looking nervously at the Anubis, which was looking back at him with huge black eyes.  
  
Seconds later, it jumped out of Kitty's arms, and dove at Fashir, landing on his back, and started licking the larger Lupe's back until it got fur stuck in its mouth and started hacking.  
  
"Thank you!" Kitty smiled gently, nodding towards Dr_Death, who stared at her for a moment, then slowly nodded back.  
  
With that, the trio left the pound. Kitty walked beside Fashir, while Sepulchrave the Anubis rode on his back, scratching itself and sniffing the air.  
  
"Now what?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Now we head to the Esophagor.  He lives at the Haunted Woods. If you ever want important information, he's the one to go to!"  
  
The round-trip took them a rough hour, there and back. The visit with the Esophagor had been less-then enlightening.  
  
"He's the one to go to…providing you can feed him!" Kitty muttered, her head still aching from the sounds the Esophagor had made upon discovery that they had no food on them, and weren't willing to "throw him the Anubis".  
  
"Well, one can hardly expect service for nothing nowadays!" Fashir shrugged.  
  
Their next stop was the Snowager, and from there the Faerie Council in Faerie Land.  
  
On the way to the Snowager, Kitty and Sep (which was easier then calling him by his full name), both rode on Fashir's back, who had slowed to a quick trot on Kitty's rather venomous order.  
  
The weather changed considerably as they arrived at a snowy bank, from which a huge mountain reached towards the sky, white with snow.  
  
"Welcome to Terror Mountain!" Fashir announced, heading upwards.  
  
Kitty shivered, hugging both herself and Sep to Fashir's warm fur.  
  
At about halfway up the mountain, there was a path that cut two ways. One led into a large, icy cave, while the other continued up the mountain. Fashir cut off towards the caves, ducking as they entered. The inside was crystal-like, covered in a blanket of ice. There were people walking around dressed in winter clothes, and Kitty wished she wasn't wearing a skirt, watching her legs turn blue.  
  
There were numerous buildings inside, and a dark path that led into another hole within the cave. It was there that Fashir ducked inside, the silently, they went inside and found the path opened up to a larger section of the cave, lit by torches that melted the ice around them.  
  
"Now, only whisper, you don't want to make him angry!" Fashir whispered, then motioned ahead.  
  
"Make him…," Kitty trailed off as she got a good look at what she had previously believed to be an overly large shadow. Instead, coiled in the very back corner of the cave, was a gigantic icy snake. It's eyes were closed, and its body rumbled in sleep. Its huge, reptilian head shifted moment from moment, and Kitty had an overwhelming urge to run out of there as fast as she could manage.  
  
Fashir nudged her back gently, urging her towards the large creature.  
  
"Don't be afraid all right. Above all, just stay calm. Whisper his name, and when he wakes up, just show him this!" Fashir drew out a long pearl necklace from within his fur, hidden from sight.  
  
"Why? Does he like to wear jewellery?" Kitty asked, her voice straining on hysteria. No graphic computer image could have possibly prepared her for the awesome size of the beast that slumbered in front of them.  
  
"Funny…jokes like that will get you frozen...or eaten in any case! No, he loves collecting things. Junk, valuable items, whatever! Just offer it to him, and introduce yourself!"  
  
Kitty took the necklace, then hesitantly made her way closer to the slumbering Snowager.  
  
"Ex…excuse me..."  
  
Her voice was barely above a whisper, and strained so much it sounded more like a squeal.  
  
"Ease up will you…louder!" Fashir remarked from behind her. "Don't be scared all right, I'll protect you if he tries anything!"  
  
"Right..." Kitty cleared her throat, and spoke louder, her voice echoing off the icy walls. "Excuse me, Mr. Snowager?"  
  
Instantly, the creature's eyes snapped open, and Kitty found herself locked eye to eye to an oval, bright yellow gaze.  
  
"_Yesssss_?" It's deep, rumbling voice caught Kitty off guard, and she couldn't help backing up a few safe paces. None the less, the held out her hand, which shone with the necklace in her tight grasp. "_Ah...a gift, isssss it_?"  
  
Kitty nodded dumbly, her voice now lost on her. Fashir could see her panic, and stepped forward bravely.  
  
"Snowager, please accept out humble gift! I am Fashir_00, and this is newcomer to Neopia, Dead_Doll00!" Fashir's voice never wavered, and he stood straight on four legs, gazing up at the Snowager, completely not intimidated.  
  
"_I welcome you to my home, and accept your gift_!" His massive head swooped down suddenly, and Fashir couldn't help tensing as it reached Kitty, gently taking the necklace from her outstretched hand. The moment it was within his jaws, Kitty whipped her hand back, shaking visibly in fear.  
  
"_No need to fear me little one...your arrival is greeted with all gracesssssss_!" the Snowager's voice rumbled as he noticed Kitty's shaking form. She looked just about ready to jump out of her skin.  
  
After a moment's hesitation, the Snowager lowered his head, and picked up a different item from within his coils, where Kitty could now see poked traces of other items.  
  
Laying the item down at her feet, Kitty could see it was a beautiful round object, painted in different colours.  
  
"_Accept thisssss from me, and I hope you vissssit me sssssssoon_!" he remarked, looking down at Kitty. He looked up again, shooting a rather distasteful look at Fashir.  
  
Kitty bent down, picking the object up into her hands.  
  
"It's beautiful...what is it?" she asked, awed as it shone.  
  
"Your lucky, he must like you!" Fashir spoke. "That's a rainbow Negg, very rare in Neopia, you can sell it for a lot of Neopoints!"  
  
At his words, the great snake reared up, hissing in fury.  
  
"_NO! THAT ISSSS MY GIFT TO HER! YOU WILL NOT SSSSELL IT_!" He roared, and rearing his head back, spat shards of ice in Fashir's direction.  
  
"_FASHIR_!" Kitty cried out, but was relieved to see the Lupe had darted out of the way in the last second.  
  
The Snowager meanwhile, had reared in preparation for another attack.  
  
Fashir leapt forward, picking up Kitty in one swing and landing her on his back. At that, the Snowager paused, keeping back his attack.  
  
"_Go...but that is my gift to her_!" He rumbled, calm again.  
  
Without another word, Fashir turned and with Kitty and Sep on his back, ran out of the cave at top speed. Near the entrance into the main cave, he slipped and the trio found themselves sliding down the rest of Terror Mountain.  
  
Near the bottom, they finally stopped sliding. Kitty was dazed, and clung to Fashir's fur as well as Sep's form.  
  
"What...happened in there?" Kitty gasped, trying to catch her breath.  
  
Fashir grimaced, looking back up towards Terror Mountain's Ice Caves.  
  
"He…doesn't want us to sell it!" Fashir breathed, his aged voice cracking slightly from nervousness.  
  
"Yeah…I 'kinda caught that part!" Kitty laughed, trying to calm down. "So he must like me huh?!"  
  
"Notice he didn't try to attack me again when I grabbed hold of you!" Fashir stated. "Understand, the Snowager is centuries old. He has lived to protect himself and his treasures, which are pretty much his only company because everyone is so afraid of him…with good reason," he muttered before continuing, "he knows and can smell greed on a person, with all the people that come into the Ice Caves trying to steal from him. I guess...maybe he didn't smell it on you!"  
  
"Good thing!" Kitty sighed, "Very good."  
  
While Kitty, Fashir, and Sep sat on the snowy banks at the foot of Terror Mountain, Maggie's real family stood in chaos as they searched for her.  
  
"Your sure this detective is as good as they say?" Mrs. Griffin asked her husband as they watched the stranger leave his car and start walking towards the house.  
  
Mr. Griffin didn't answer, preferring to keep his own doubts in check as he went to answer the door. They needed assurance of their daughter's whereabouts, not excuses or lame explanations. Certainly not doubt.  
  
"Mr. Griffin, I presume?" The man's voice was slick and boyish, like a High School Freshmen who had just decided he was a macho man after his first lay.  
  
All in all, a rather disconcerting tone of voice.  
  
"Yes! Are you Mr. Laughton?" Maggie's father inquired, his distaste for the younger man apparent only slightly on his face.  
  
"Yes, and I understand your daughter's run away from home?"  
  
"NO! She's…been missing! Kidnapped maybe.," Mrs. Griffin interrupted, her voice rising a few octaves. "All we know is we came home, and our house was half-ruined. We heard Maggie's voice from her bedroom, and an older man's. When we ran up, there was this bright flash of light…and she was just gone!"  
  
Laughton nodded mechanically as Mrs. Griffin spoke, taking mental jots apparently.  
  
"Is there anything else?" he asked.  
  
"Just one!" Mr. Griffin cut in, and bringing his hand into his pants pocket, he drew out an object that Fashir, their daughter, or Mr. Crowley would have no doubt recognized.  
  
Namely, a small black box.  
  
**********  
  
_Maggie's family get ever closer to finding what they are looking for, while Fashir takes Kitty for a game._


	6. Keeping Your Secrets

****

CROSSING OVER  
  
CHAPTER 6: KEEPING YOUR SECRETS  
  
**********

Maggie's father had set the black box down on the kitchen table, where the trio had gathered around it in a semi-circle. Laughton was looking down at the box in confusion, trying to deduce what he was looking at.  
  
"So what the hell is that?" the detective asked, tapping the smooth surface of the box with his index finger. Along the side he noticed a bunch of strange purple buttons, and despite his extreme curiosity, he decided against pressing them; at least for the moment.  
  
"You're the detective, you tell us!" Mr. Griffin muttered. "We found it lying in our daughter's room, directly where the scorch mark was on the carpet. We think-,"  
  
"That it has something to do with what happened?" Laughton cut it, picking the box up and examining it directly in front of his eyes. "Could be...one way to find it is to see what this thing does!"  
  
"So push the buttons," Mrs. Griffin spoke urgently, her eyes narrowed in determination.  
"Not...a good idea ma'am. There's a distinct possibility this thing could be some sort of time bomb, activated by the pushing of these buttons. That would explain the burn on the carpet of your girl's room!" Laughton muttered, shifting his eyes nervously.  
  
"Are you saying you think it blew Maggie up?" Mrs. Griffin demanded, her voice rising a few octaves. "Don't you dare assume something like that! She's still alive, wherever she was taken. Anyway, if she had been killed, there would have been some trace, blood or something...but there was nothing..," she trailed off, her eyes filling with tears again.  
  
"I'm not saying..," Laughton started again, clearly irritated. He paused and took a deep breath, his temper on the brink from the case. "Look, let some of the lab boys at my company have a tinkering with this thing. I'll get back to you tomorrow evening, and we can see where to go from there!"  
  
"I don't want to wait that long, we've already waited long enough! She could be hurt dammit!" Mrs. Griffin cried, now on the verge of hysterical. Her husband moved to put an arm around her, but she stepped out of the way, shaking with anger.  
  
"Just give it until tomorrow. I promise you, if the lab doesn't find anything, then we'll see ourselves. I just want to make sure we know what we're dealing with here!"  
  
With that, Laughton turned and headed for the front door. Neither of the Griffins followed to show him out, and he headed off towards his car by himself.  
  
Near the car, he paused and took out a small cellular phone from his pocket. Dialing a number, he waited for the other line to respond before he started speaking.  
  
"Yeah, it's Laughton! Yeah, I think I may have found what your looking for sir. Yes, inform the company, but we'll be doing some testing on the machine first, I have no clue...yes, yes a girl missing this time. Her parents will no doubt want to be involved when the time is right. It shouldn't be a problem. Yes sir!"  
  
With that, he switched off the cellular, throwing it into the passenger seat of his car as he got in, and drove off moments later.  
  
In Neopia meanwhile, Kitty stood in the center of a large store, looking at shelves upon shelves of familiar, though real merchandise.  
"Welcome to your store, currently manned by an able staff for a store over the size of 40, with many-a-cheap items on sale...price wise!" Fashir drawled on, as Kitty stared wide-eyed around her surroundings.  
"So...this is my store?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Wow.."  
  
"Indeed!"  
  
"Like I said," Fashir spoke, his gaze constantly on his Neopian trainer, "everything on the internet version of our world can be found here, down to the last demented detail!"  
  
"So you really have stuff like ghosts, or monsters and such?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Kit. we have faeries, monsters, and giant talking ice snakes...what could we not have?" he asked, a hint of a smirk on his furry face.  
  
"So how does this store work here?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Pretty much the same way as over the net. You can buy items at other places, bring them here and scan them over your computer as stock. Then people buy them, and you can collect the amount from the till at the back of the store!" Fashir explained, while leading Kitty down to the back of the store, where there sat a small, scary looking Aisha, with a large metal cash register off to the side.  
  
"Hey, that's the same Aisha I picked as my store picture!" Kitty spoke upon recognizing the animal.  
  
"Indeed, I manage the store here for you, and it's good to finally meet you in the flesh. so to speak!" the creature spoke, its voice a creepy hiss, but its tone friendly.  
  
"Okay.," Kitty smiled nervously, but relaxed after a moment. "So uh...any sales?"  
  
"As a matter of fact yes!" The Aisha pushed her paw down on the cash register, which opened up to reveal roles of Neopoints. "Your estimated total profit for the moment lies at 350 NP! Would you like to withdraw now?"  
  
Kitty cast a questioning glance at Fashir, who just shrugged and smiled.  
  
"It's your money, you can take it whenever you please!" he stated.  
  
So Kitty nodded, and the Aisha handed her the roll of Neopoints.  
  
"Uh...thanks!" Kitty smiled.  
  
"Not a problem!" The Aisha responded.  
  
Kitty blinked, staring down at the large roll of Neopoints in her palm, then shrugged and smiled.  
  
"Alright, so what now?" She asked, turning to Fashir.  
  
"You can spend it if you like, you have more than enough in the bank!" he answered.  
  
"Can we play games like on the net?" Kitty asked eagerly.  
  
"Oh yes!" Fashir smirked. "Only here, the games will tend to be a lot more up close and personal!"  
  
Kitty looked at him cluelessly, but he only smiled, and motioned for her to climb on his back. Picking up Sep from where he was frenzying around "The Well's" floor, she hugged the Anubis to her, and climbed onto Fashir' back.  
  
With that, he pounced out the door, and ran towards what he told her along the way was Tyrannia, the prehistoric portion of Neopia. True to his word, everything looked the same, and they soon arrived at a rather large mountainous area. There were craters in the deep earth beneath them that created huge cracks along the ground that a person could probably walk in. It resembled the cracks of the Grand Canyon.  
  
There was a large booth off to one side where the cracks began, and a human girl that looked to be a year younger than Kitty was seated behind it. Her hair was blonde and tied back in a tight, nearly oily ponytail, and her gray eyes were glued to a magazine, the title reading 'Neopia Fashion'.  
  
Fashir trotted over to the booth, and leaned down so Kitty and Sep could jump onto the ground.  
  
"Hi!" He greeted the girl in his guttural voice. "We'd like to sign up for Pterattack!'  
  
The girl looked up from the magazine, simultaneously blowing a pink bubble from the gum she was chewing.  
  
"That'll be 50 Neopoints. You earn as much Neopoints as your total score at the end of the game, after you have used up three turns. The current level of difficulty is set on Easy, want me to adjust it?" the girl drawled, her tone never changing from a tone that sounded like grating chalk on a blackboard.  
  
"I think we can handle Medium, right Kit?" Fashir smiled at Kitty, who just shrugged.  
  
The girl shrugged and dialed at something unseen behind the counter.  
  
"The difficulty is now set to Medium, 50 Neopoints please!"  
  
Kitty picked out 50 Neopoints from the roll, passing it to the girl behind the counter through a little glass window.  
  
"Enjoy!"  
  
With that, the girl went back to her magazine.  
  
Kitty stood there for a moment, not really knowing what she was supposed to do, until she saw Fashir beckoning to her. She followed after him, and watched as he trotted down hill and deeper into the cracks in the earth. As they walked down the path, it led to an opening in the mountain wall, which led into a large room.  
  
Inside the room were rows of huge Ptery's of different colors. Upon closer inspection, Kitty could see that each of them had a riding saddle on its back, and a control joystick right in front of it attached to a small black box, which hung around their necks. The box had a small hole in the front.  
  
"Just pick whichever you like!" Fashir remarked, waiting patiently.  
  
"What are the joysticks for?" Kitty asked.  
  
"The game, of course! Use it to maneuver the Ptery and then push the button on the top to make the machine fire the weapon through the hole in the front.  
  
"Are they robots...they look so real.," Kitty trailed off, touching one Ptery's back carefully. The feathers felt real under her fingers.  
  
"Their robots! We can't use real Ptery's for this, they are much too small to carry us. We can all fit inside the saddle on its back!" Fashir spoke.  
  
Kitty swallowed nervously, and set out to choose one for the game.  
  
**********  
  
_Next, Maggie's parents hit upon a conspiracy that may blow open Neopia's secret for the world to see._


	7. Rollercoaster Pterrattack

****

CROSSING OVER  
  
CHAPTER 7: ROLLERCOASTER PTERRATACK  
  
**********  
  
Kitty had just adjusted to sitting on the saddle of the giant robotic red Pterri when it began to move.  
  
"Hey, I'm not touching the joystick!" Kitty gasped, while being squashed from behind by Fashir and Sep, who refused to stay still in Fashir' massive paws.  
  
"It's not you, the Pterri is programmed to moved towards the start line of the game. Look ahead!" Fashir motioned forward, and Kitty found herself watching as the wall directly in front of where the robo-Pterri was heading lifted upwards, revealing that they were now under the Grand-Canyon like ground. At either side of the walls, pterodactyls were flying out and towards the way the Pterry Kitty, Fashir, and Sep were riding, would soon be flying.  
  
"Up close, and real personal!" Fashir laughed, his voice growling over the noise caused by the beating wings. "GO FOR IT KIT!"  
  
At the command, Kitty cranked the joystick upward, and the large red Pterri rose into the air, its wings flapping on either side of its passengers.  
  
"Push to button on the top to shoot!" Fashir instructed into her ear, and Kitty did as he told, pushing down on the red button on top of the joystick.  
  
As the Pterri now made flight, shots came out of the box strapped around its neck. Two shot out and directly hit a passing Pterodactyl square in the ass, sending the creature reeling down towards the ground. Instantly, a little black screen appeared on a metallic section on the Pterri's back, right in front of Kitty's face, reading: 3 NP  
  
"For each brown one you kill, you get 2 Neopoints, for red ones you get 8, and for green you get 10. Then there are other bonuses, harder to catch! You can also improve weapons like in the game! Go for the red glowing balls, they have the best weapons!" Fashir instructed further, while Kitty frantically played around with the joystick, shooting and dodging the Pterodactyls that flew their way. The score increased steadily, until one was shot down to reveal a green glowing ball.  
  
"Uh...bad!" Kitty dodged the ball, preferring to wait for the red weapons that soon came afterwards.  
  
"Just fly right at it!" Fashir spoke.  
  
Kitty obeyed, flying her Pterri straight at the glowing red ball. Seconds before impact, the robo-Pterri opened its mouth and swallowed the ball. Suddenly, the shots changed into bone-shaped weapons, killing off twice as many Pterodactyls as before.  
  
"ALRIGHT!" Kitty cheered, feeling an up lift in her ego.  
  
While Kitty, Fashir, and Sep enjoyed themselves in a round of Pterratack, Maggie's parents had been called and informed to come to a specific address by a man who had identified himself as a colleague of Mike Laughton.  
  
They drove in silence, each pondering their own thoughts as to what had possibly transpired in Maggie's room the day she had vanished.  
  
When they finally arrived at the intended address, they found it was way out of town, sitting by itself as a large gray building. In all respects, it looked like some old factory, not much of a sight at all.  
  
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Mrs. Griffin asked her husband, checking out the paper he had scrawled the address on during the mysterious phone call.  
  
"I'm sure, let's go in and look around!"  
  
They headed into the building anticipating little less that it should be found empty, deserted long ago by whatever company may have once used it. However, the door opened automatically when they stepped close enough to it, and on the other side stood a man neither had ever seen before.  
  
He wore a black suit, and was fairly muscular with a military buzz cut. An ID card hung from his breast pocket, with his stoic-faced image on the front, along with the name 'Corp. G. Rozzna'  
  
"Welcome to our local headquarters!" The man greeted Maggie's father, extending his hand in polite handshake. Mr. Griffin shook his hand, but look at him with a confused expression on his face.  
  
"Headquarter for what?" He asked, once he had his hand back from the Corporal's rather tight grip.  
  
"That's what you're here to find out sir. If you and your wife will just follow me please!" Rozzna stepped to the side, allowing for the couple to step into the building. The door shut automatically behind them, and looking back, Mr. Griffin could see the mechanical controls that handled the doorway.  
  
On the inside, the building was clean and white. A shiny gray floor with white walls made the place look like a cross between a highly official government building, and a mental asylum.  
  
"What exactly are we here for?" Mrs. Griffin asked as they followed Rozzna down the hallway. He walked ahead of them, his footsteps echoing down the deserted hall.  
  
"I promise you that all your questions will be answered in due time!" Rozzna stopped in front of a large gray door at the end of the hall. "I must ask you both to remain patient, as well as secretive about what you are going to see!" He pulled on his ID card, swiping it across the small computer console attached to the doorway. An audible buzz was heard, and then a click. "All I can tell you is that it has everything to do with what may have happened to your daughter...and what has happened before, and will again unless we are able to stop it from doing so!"  
  
He pulled the door opened then.  
  
**********  
  
_Maggie's parents discover the truth about her vanishing, and decide to pursue her into Neopia._


End file.
